by Danae Ayusso
The tear that rolled down her cheek felt as if it was searing into her soul; she knew what she had to do.
Akia had to tell him goodbye, and that it was over, but most importantly, that he should have never come to Haven.
The shuddered breath that broke past her trembling lips was accompanied by more tears.
She rested her head against the glass tiled shower wall and fought to keep it together, but it was impossible. The thought of pushing him away was nearly as bad as the thought of telling him the truth, neither of which would solve anything. For years Akia thought she had figured it out, discovered a way to keep the balance between the darkness inside of her and the truth and her relationship with Damian. But how could it continue? The primal longing was getting hard to ignore, and there was only so long that she could guise the truth…but time ran out quicker than she thought it would.
Her hand clenched into a fist around the delicate pendant resting between her breasts, and she fought to keep from ripping it off and throwing it; it was only one part of him that she needed to rid herself of, needed to throw away, needed to leave behind. Goodbye; she had to tell him goodbye and to go back to Boston. She’d send Faelan and Connell for her things, send her letter of resignation certified mail. Manning would understand.
Before the reassurance of her sudden resolve could leave Akia’s lips, her back stiffened and her eyes snapped open, but they quickly fluttered shut when strong arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her back into him.
“Fifteen minutes has come and passed,” Damian whispered in her ear before softly kissing down the length of her neck. “I got worried, so I came looking for you,” he continued, the unmistakable sound of a smile in his voice. “Imagine my surprise to find you naked and sudsy, waiting for me to wash your back. All you had to do was ask, you didn’t have to make a stand,” he scolded with a chuckle.
Akia shuddered again before awkwardly reaching back and wrapped her arms around his neck and forced him into her even more.
When she didn’t say anything, he pulled the tip of his nose up the length of her neck, inhaling deeply and his eyes fluttered and rolled back.
Again, her body shook slightly as a shuddered breath broke past her lips.
“Are you okay?” Damian whispered when he noted the tears staining her cheeks through the castoff of the shower spray.
She shook her head.
“Did you want to talk about it?” he pressed.
Again, she shook her head.
“Would you like some privacy?” he asked, unsure.
Again, Akia shook her head then turned around to face him. She delicately caressed her fingers down his face and over each feature; long, narrow nose, rounded cheek bones, chin and jaw that begged to be kissed and nibbled, and full lips that whispered the words of the angels into the heart of a demon and left her longing for more. She trailed the backs of her fingers down the front of his throat, taking a moment to admire the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, before continuing her exploration.
It didn’t matter how many times Akia had seen Damian naked, each time was like the first time all over again, and it caused her blood to boil, pulse to echo in her ears with deafening force, and caused an embarrassing heat to pool between her legs. Each muscle group was perfectly defined and hardened under her touch; his skin was like warm velvet; scent caused an animalistic and possessiveness to flare within her; the taste of his mouth was like a drugging nectar that she couldn’t get enough of; and the strength he possessed made her feel delicate and yet strong and his equal. His body was built and honed to be desired and worshiped, and even though she fought with him about returning the physical sentiment that his hands, tongue and cock lavishes her body with, she knew that he loved the attention she gave him. More than once she had spent over an hour trailing her tongue up and down his abs, softly kissing each grouping and teasingly blowing along the cut channels between them. She loved digging her nails into his thick thighs just to hear him hiss before splitting his knees, positing herself between them so she could maintain eye contact with him as she took him from base to tip, again and again, until he couldn’t take it anymore and somehow managed to free himself from the handcuffs she had secured him with.
Damian softly moaned under his breath. “You’re thinking naughty things, aren’t you?” he whispered.
Akia shrugged her shoulders ever so slightly before brushing her lips against his, pulling back when he tried to deepen the kiss. She shook her head, tisking at him disappointedly before teasingly nipping at his chin with her teeth, and he groaned.
His cock twitched, brushing against her thigh, longing to bury himself deep within her tight, moistened sheath, but she denied his silent pleas.
She pulled the tip of her tongue down the front of his throat, taking a moment to kiss the jugular notch before kissing down the center of his chest as she lowered herself down to her knees.
“What are you doing?” Damian asked, slightly amused but greatly turned on.
Akia looked up at him, meeting his sapphire eyes before enveloping the head of his cock with her lips then swirled her tongue around the ridge under the head.
A deep, throaty growl rolled from the base of his throat and one hand knotted in the back of her hair, the other bracing against the shower wall.
Liking the power she had over him, especially since it would be the last time she’d have it before she said goodbye, she growled in return, and his cock bucked in her mouth. Her hand worked up and down the length of his distended flesh, her grip firm just as he liked it, while the other cupped his balls so they wouldn’t smack her chin when he started thrusting his hips, which always happened when she sucked his cock. Akia relaxed her jaw and took him deeper, pulling back some to allow her throat to accommodate his impressive girth and length, before taking him even deeper. As if they were two pieces to a puzzle and fit effortlessly together, she found her rhythm and took him from tip to base and back again, over and over, until he couldn’t take it anymore and started to thrust this hips forwards slightly to meet each of her bobbing motions.
Damian’s eyes fluttered when she sucked even harder, holding his cock deep in her throat tight like a virgin on her wedding night, and it caused his body to shake with longing for release.
Akia pulled back, freeing him from her warm, talented mouth. “Look at me,” she snarled. “I said look at me!”
His eyes snapped to hers, and they narrowed before his head tilted to the side and his cock softened. “Latria Mou, come back to me,” he whispered, picking her up then pulled her into his arms and protectively held her to his chest. “Come back me.”
She shook her head, top lip snarling.
“Akia, stop!” he snapped, his authoritarian tone causing her to jump, startled. “Latria Mou?” he whispered, batting his lashes, his eyes studying hers intently.
She continued to shake, her body felt as if it was on fire, but mind numbingly cold at the same time. She wanted to be in the dark confines of a closet alone, and yet she wanted to hold onto the man holding her close, trying to keep her from completely losing it.
Damian nodded his understanding and carried her to the bedroom, grabbing two towels off of the vanity in passing. “Very well,” he said, cool and collected. “Let’s get ready for work. I’m sure that Inspector Asshole is just dying to meet the man behind the bossy, ball breaking Lieutenant from Boston. If he thinks you’re impossible to please, he hasn’t seen anything yet.”
Absently she nodded; eyes clenched shut, struggling to get the heat coursing through her body to extinguish, to slow her racing heart, and keep Her in the darkened recesses of her mind.
“Oh, I think you should know,” he continued once he sat her down on the edge of the bed then proceeded to dry off and get dressed, “that I told your family that we are sleeping together, that I love you, and that I want your father’s blessing to continue our relationship.”
And that was more than enough to snap Akia back to reality.
Her eyes shot open, and they instantly found his. “You did what?!” she shrieked.
A smile filled his face.
Mission accomplished.
“Never have the fires darkening your beautiful ocean blue eyes been such a welcoming sight to see,” Damian teased, slipping into his dress shirt.
Softly Akia growled under her breath as she hastily dried off. “You are not funny, not in the least!” she hissed.
“Oh I beg to differ,” he retorted. “I think I am hilarious. Hurry up. I’d like to see the dumpsites before lunch, and tonight we’ll talk more before I get a bite to eat.”
She flipped him off then buttoned her jeans.
Damian smirked and stepped into Akia, pulling her into him by the belt loops. “What I plan on eating is you, in case you missed the underlying innuendo, so let’s not go to the office angry just as we never go to bed angry. Agreed?”
She tried to play mad, but she couldn’t. He seemingly pulled her back before the darkness saw light, and that she appreciated and needed more than he’d ever know. “Fine, but if I find out you actually told my entire family that we’re having sex, I’m kicking your ass,” she warned.
He kissed her on the tip of the nose, and she groaned; that was his way of saying that yes, he did just that, and she’ll just have to live with it.
“I really dislike you right now,” Akia groaned, pushing out of his hold.
Damian continued to smirk. “You’ll really dislike me after I do this,” he said then grabbed her arm and bit.
“Impressive work, Officer,” Damian said, reading over the report Leclair put together cataloguing the first victim’s activities prior to his death. “These stops along the freeway, are you familiar with them?”
“Highway, Sir,” Leclair corrected. “In Canada we call them Highways, and yes. If you like I can follow up with the ferry routes along the Trans-Canada as well and see if he utilized those means for his load since his log book had been penciled in along the way and not completely accurate; in the States he was out of hours a few times, and yet he wasn’t fined.”
Damian nodded. “What was he hauling? The report isn’t entirely clear.”
“Last trailer dropped was to a mill on the mainland,” he said, reading through his notes. “A dry resin component used for the manufacturing process at that mill; they make kayaks and canoes. High end, handmade items,” he explained when Damian snorted. “I can run background checks if you like. There are only ten employees, and they are all related, so it wouldn’t be hard.”
“That isn’t necessary,” Damian assured him, trying to keep from making a face. The Officer was very thorough, but too thorough and with way too many details that are redundant. Akia used to be the same way, but after blacking out most of her reports, only leaving the pertinent information in them when he handed them back for her to redo, she quickly grasped what he was trying to teach her. With that said, Officer Leclair wasn’t one of his Officers, and this was only a stopping ground, thus he wouldn’t bother with breaking out the black Sharpie and having him redo the report. “Let me know what you find out from the harbor masters or whatever it is you call them here.”
Leclair nodded. “Yes, Sir,” he said then hurried to grab his jacket before hitting the road.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear he has a crush on you,” Akia mumbled under her breath as she looked through the report Damian blindingly handed back to her; he knew she was there and waiting for it.
“Most likely,” he agreed. “I hear that I am a hot piece of ass.”
She rolled her eyes then headed towards the stairs to pay Connell a visit since Damian was annoying her with his apparent enjoyment of the giggling, flirtatious women at the station. It was dangerous for her to run around unchecked at the moment, and she was hoping that her brother had something to give her that would keep her focused on the task at hand and to keep the fantasies of ripping the throat out of each woman that touched what was hers from becoming a reality.
“Are you mad at me?” Damian asked, following her down the stairs.
“Yes, you bit me,” she reminded him, holding her hand above her head and flipped him off.
He chuckled, shaking his head; she was ridiculously observant when she needed to be, but a complete airhead when it came to what was right in front of her of the non-case variety. “Yes, I suppose I did. Maybe I was leaving you a little something to remember that it’ll be my guest room you will be sleeping in tonight if all goes according to plan.”
Akia shook her head; Damian was being mentally exhaustive and ridiculously annoying for some reason. “Are you trying to annoy me to death?” she asked before pushing through the door at the end of the hallway.
Again, he chuckled. “No, not in the least,” he assured her. “Just trying to remind you that I’m here for you no matter what,” he said, resting his hand on the small of her back now that they were out of view of the others. “There is a method to my means,” he whispered, leaning into her as they walked. “You know me so my methodology shouldn’t surprise you.”
That was an understatement. Akia knew Damian better than he wished, but the one thing he wished she knew about him she apparently had blinders on for.
“I suppose,” she huffed, waving her rarely seen white flag of surrender. “It’s getting late. Did you want to head back? I’m starving, need to shower, and you wanted to re-walk the dumpsites before evening tide.”
“Sounds agreeable,” Damian said, reaching around her and pulled open the door to the M.E.’s office. “Did you want to eat in or go out? The intake operator was raving about a small steakhouse not far from here.”
Akia shook her head. “She was asking you out, and you were well aware of it, but if you want to get dinner with her, by all means knock yourself out. I’ll sleep in one of my brothers’ rooms.”
Damian softly growled under his breath and closed the office door behind them. When he noted that Connell wasn’t in there, he spun Akia around to face him. “Why do you sleep in their rooms and not your own?” he whispered, his eyes moving over her face many times.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, pulling away from him. “You know there are certain things I don’t elaborate on, and family is one of them. It’s bad enough that you’ve met them, have been hit on by one of them more than once, another walked around completely naked in front of you, two others got into a wedgie war at breakfast, and you informed my father, and entire family, that we’re sleeping together. Yes, that is just lovely. Thank you for that. I thought we agreed to discuss these things, Damian. Wouldn’t you be pissed if I walked up to your father and informed him I was sleeping with his son, who coincidentally I was the boss of, and that we were living together, hiding it from everyone, and that what we have will most likely, that I will most likely, kill you?!”
Damian gave her a look, trying to keep from smiling. “I wouldn’t suggest it, but I see your point,” he said. “Let me ask you something,” he started, caressing a loose curl from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear for her. “Why do you think that what we have will most likely kill me? That you will kill me?” he asked with a smirk. “I’m armed.”
“Not always,” she said making a face. “It’s complicated, Damian. And now of all times, I mean… This isn’t the time or place to discuss it.”
“Will you discuss it with me or are you just trying to distract me in hopes that I’ll forget?”
Again, she made a mocking face. “Not anymore,” she grumbled causing him to laugh.
Damian pulled her into him and hugged her tight. “What am I going to do with you?” he rhetorically asked.
“Get out while you still can?” Akia offered, returning the embrace.
“Yes, exactly that,” he dryly agreed, softly smacking her backside. “We need to get going. Hopefully we’ll be able to pick up something now that the wind has died down at the dumpsites. And then, if you’re good, or exceptionally naughty, I’ll give you a foot rub,
” he said in a deep, overly suggestive tone.
She smiled despite herself; she loved foot rubs, and they were always the start to an orgasmic night.
“Do you think your brothers, uncles and father will mind if we asked for privacy for a few hours tonight?” he asked as innocently as possible.
Akia moaned. “A quickie is beneath you, Captain Nikas, it truly is,” she purred before slapping his backside as hard as she could, and he growled in return. “I highly doubt they’d have a problem… That will be a problem,” she groaned, just then realizing that Varg would not look too kindly on her having sex with Damian in the house, and there would be bloodshed as a result.
One of the doors on the wall of refrigeration lockers swung open, seemingly on its own, before a rolling aluminum tray slid out some.
Connell pulled his black satin sleeping mask up and looked over at them. “Don’t worry about the pissed off at the world Viking. We’ll take him for a run. You two ready to grab a late lunch before checking out the dumpsites in low tide?” he beamed with a smile before pulling the tray the rest of the way out then rolled off of it. “So, what’s this I hear about a foot rub?” he teased with a face-consuming smile before pulling his shirt back on.
Damian looked from Connell to the locker and back again. “Do you do that often?”
He shrugged. “I get overly hot, and since I haven’t gotten to run thanks to all the assholes with guns in the woods around the manor, I have to find a way to expend the building heat. Not all us of can have mind blowing sex to get it out of our systems and pull us back to reality, like some people I know,” he said, giving his baby sister a mocking face.